On the
Season 7 finale of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,
the Extreme Team traveled to Texas to help out the Carr family who
adopted four handicapped children from Kazakhstan, including a 6-year-old
amputee with prosthetic legs. ABC's long-running reality
construction show is known for ratcheting up the drama. So when Season 8
premiers in Berks County on September 26, you had better bring
the Kleenex.
But from the introductions to the pivotal "move that
bus!" moment, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition helps more than just
desperate families. Keeping the small town, family-friendly feel in
tact, Extreme Team construction sites are community projects, allowing
local merchants a chance to help out a great cause and gain some
national air time. When the show hits the Reading region this fall, two
environmental salvage firms will strut their stuff.
Empire Group and
Elk Environmental Services worked with the
Home Builders Association of Berks County on the
Berks Extreme Build
project. Elk Environmental removed oil tanks from the basement, while
Empire Group--Elk's parent company--managed the demolition, while
salvaging usable debris for reuse.
"We took all the oil tanks out
and checked for other hazardous materials to make sure there wouldn't
be any contamination when we tore the house down," says Vice President
Tom Peduto. "We get involved in a lot of community activities and our
people like it and really show up. A lot of our people volunteered their
time and helped out beyond what you will see on TV."
Supporting
Elk Environmental and Berks Transfer, Empire Group has been around since
1955. Employing over 200 Berks County residents, Empire Group has
become something of a household name in the region, participating in
various holiday parades and community events. In fact, when the show
contacted Empire and Elk to manage the salvage, it became clear that
producers had simply asked around the neighborhood. Pairing such a
strong community presence with families in need and people willing to
help, and this season premier is sure to live up to Extreme Makeover's
tearjerker legacy.
"We have been around since 1955 and we have a
strong presence in the area," says Peduto. "We just showed up on the
radar once they showed up here and started talking to people. We have
been around forever and everybody knows us. This was a way for the whole
community to give back and everyone was excited to be a part of it."
Source: Tom Peduto, Elk EnvironmentalWriter: John Steele